Authorities Converting Famed Poloview Street Into a Walkway

Officials said that the road will be redesigned and will be filled with marble stones, and “creative designs” that will make it look aesthetic. The existing shops will stay intact and an alternative road stretch will be constructed for traffic.

SRINAGAR — In a bid to beautify the Srinagar city the administration is converting the historic Poloview street into a walkway under “Srinagar Smart City Project”.

An official of the administration told Mountain Ink that the road will be redesigned and will be filled with marble stones and “creative designs” that will make it aesthetic. The existing shops will stay intact and according to the official, it will attract more people to visit the market.

Situated in the heart of the city, the Poloview street and market is historic, famous and eye-catching and shares its boundary with the famed Polo ground.

The Sumo stand located at the south end of the street, on 2.37 kanals of land, and the existing SDA parking, behind the market, on the Polo ground side, will be converted into a motorable road for the convenience of the commuters, the official said.

Although the shopkeepers at Poloview market have welcomed the conversion of the street into a walkway, they have raised apprehensions about the parking.

Altaf Ahmad, a shopkeeper said the concern for the shopkeepers is parking. For now, the customers who visit the shops park their vehicles in SDA parking. But since the government is planning to convert it into a road, it leaves no parking space for vehicles. “This is the concern which needs to be addressed and the shopkeepers’ association visited the Divisional Commissioner and we hope the matter is resolved soon.”

Asked about the concerns of the shopkeepers, the official said that the government is planning to construct a mechanized ramp which will be thrown open in “specific time”.

The Poloview market came into existence in 1954 after a fire fully damaged shops situated at The Bund near Residency Road and the then Prime Minister Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad allotted Polo View space to the shopkeepers.

Since then, the marketplace remains intact with several shops showcasing Art and Craft. The market has many other buildings which include the Kashmir Press Club.

As of now, there are about 35 shops on the polo ground side and 20 on the opposite side, the upper floors have been converted into office spaces, restaurants, travel agencies, laptop sellers and many other workspaces.